Automatic life-guard or fender for tram-cars.



PATENTED MAY 19, 1903.

W. T. WATSON. AUTOMATIC LIFE GUARD 0R FENDER FOR TRAM CARS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 12, 1902.

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PATENTED MAY 19 1903.

W. T. WATSON.

AUTOMATIC LIFE GUARD 0R FENDER FOR TRAM CARS. I

I APPLICATION FILED DBO. 12. 1902.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 1 9, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM THOMAS WATSON, OF VICTORIA, CANADA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,636, dated May 19, 1903.

Application filed December 12, 1902. Serial No. 134,938. (No model.)

[ all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM THOMAS WAT- SON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Victoria, in the Province of British Columbia and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Life-Guard or Fender for Tram-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Y

My invention relates to improvements in life-guards or fenders for tram-cars, such as electric or cable railway oars, said invention being more particularly designed as an improvement on that class of fenders disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 663,313, issued to me on December 4, v1900.

One improvement which I have made resides in an automatic trip for instantly dropping the fender should it strike a person in the path of a car, said trip devices being foldable out of the way with the fender or independently thereof should the track be parder may be carried or supported normally in i a lower position and closer 'to the rails than is possible in ordinary fenders, which must be suspended at a height sufficient to clear the track on the downward pitch of a swaying car-body.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the subjoined description, and the novelty will be defined by the annexed claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic fender applied to a part of an ordinary tram-car and showing the several devices associated with the fender in their normal operative positions. Fig. 2 is an inverted or bottom plan view of the fender, showing a part of the car. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are fragmentary views of'details to be hereinafter described, and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional elevation of certain parts of the trip and dropping devices.

5 designates hangers which are secured firmly to the under side of the car-platform A, and to these hangers are pivoted at 6 'the hanger-arms 7, the same being provided at their free ends with'bearing-loops 8,which are adapted to receive and support the horizontal pivotal rod 9 ofthe fender. This pivotal rodis confined in the bearingloops 8 by catches 10, which are pivoted to the hanger-arms and are held in their adjusted positions by the clasps 11,thelatterbeingslidably fitted onthehangerarms and adapted to be Withdrawn from the catches 'to permit the pivotal rod 9 and the fenderto be dismounted from a car when desired. The hanger-arms 7 are held firmly in their proper inclined positions by means of braces 12, the latter being pivoted to the hanger-arms near the bearing-loops 8 and having connection with the brackets 13,Which are secured firmly to the car-platform A, preferably to the sills a at the sides thereof.

The fender consists of a rear member 14 and a front member 15. The rear member 14 is provided with upright arms l4" at or near 'therear part of said member, said arms beingsecu red rigidly to the pivotal rod 9 in any suitable way. Said rear member 14 is furthermore provided with depending guides 16, in which'ar'e slidab'ly fitted the side rods of the front member 15, said side rods being provided with collars 17, which are disposed between the guides 16 and aflord bearings for the front ends of the coiled springs 18. These coiled springs are fitted loosely on the side rods of the front member in positions to bear against the rear guide 16, and these springs normally press the collars 17 and the front fender member 15 to their normal operative positions. The front fender member 15 is provided with a cross-bar 19=at the front end thereof, and at the front corners of said fender member are provided the angular bearings 20, against which are seated the end por tions of a yieldable bufier 21, said buffer having a rod or wire 22, which is fastened to the short arms 23 on the side rods of the fender member 15, as shown more clearly by Figs. 1 and 2. The entire fender is supported by the pivotal rod 9, that is free to turn in the bearings of the hangers, whereby the fender may rock or oscillate on an axis afiorded by said pivotal rod; but normally the fender is supported in a horizontal position, as shown by Fig. 1, by the devices now to be described.

' 24 designates supporting-arms, which are fixed to the sills of the car-platform on the under side thereof, and to these arms are fulcru med the lower ends of vertical levers 25, each having a series of apertures 25. To each vertical lever 25 is connected the front end of a rearwardly-extending suspensionrod 26, the same having its rear end attached t-oa coiled spring 27, which is attached to a depending arm 28 on a horizontal rock-shaft 29, the latter being journaled .in suitable bearings-on the under side of the platform A. This rock-shaft 29 is provided with an upstanding short arm 30, to which is pivoted the rear end of a link 31, the front end of said link being pivoted to the downwardlyextending arm of the bellcrank lever 32. Said bell-crank lever is fulcrnmed on a suitable support attached to the platform A, and to the other arm of said lever is pivoted the lower end of a vertical slidable rack-bar 33, the latter passing through a suitable opening in Iheplatform. The upper end of this rack-bar is provided with an angular head 34, and the rack-teeth are formed on the rear edge of said bar. A locking-pawl is pivoted to a short upstanding post 36 on the platform, said pawl being arranged fol-engagement with the teeth of the rack-bar and the latter being pressed normally into engagement with the pawl by a spring 37. (See Fig. 1.) An operating-lever 38 is fulcrumed to the upper end of the post 36 and is adapted for engagement with a keeper 39 on the rack-bar, said lever being disposed in a position convenient for operation by the motormans foot. The pawl 35 is normally pressed into engagement with the rack-bar by a spring 35.

The levers 25 are connected operativelywith the suspended fender and with lower and upper beds by means of the upright levers 40 and the chains or other adjustable connections 41. These levers 40 are fulcrumed at their lower ends to the rear member 14 of the fender, and they are disposed in rear of the bed, presently to be described.

The chains or other flexible connections 41 I are fastened to the levers 40 near the upper ends of the latter, and said chains 41 are secured adjustably to the perforated levers 25 by clips 42 or their equivalents. The levers 40 are disposedin advance of the pivotal rod 9 of the fender, and the pull or tension of the springs 27 is transmitted through the rods 26, the levers 25, and the levers 40 to the pivoted fender, thereby supporting the fender in its raised horizontal position. The fender is locked in place by the engagement of the pawl 35 with the rack-bar 33, which is connected, through the bell-crank lever 32, the rod 31, the arm 30, the rock-shaft 29, and the arm 28, to the suspension-springs 27.

43 44 designate the lower and upper beds, which extend from the front end of the fender member 15 to the upper ends of the levers 40. The lower bed 43 consists of a series of strips or rods 45 and the cross-bars 46 47. (See Figs. 1, 2, and 3.) The cross-bar 47 is fastened to the front fender member 15 in a suitable way, and the strips or rods 45 are attached to the bars 46 47 by riveting them in place, thus obviating the employment of loops or bent ends of the strips 45. The upper bed 44 consists of a lower crossbar 48, one or more upper cross-bars 49, and a series of strips or rods 50, the latter being riveted at their ends to the bars 48 49. If desired, the strips or rods 50 may be doubled around the bars 49, as indicated at 51 in Fig. 4. Instead of making the upper and lower beds 43 44 of metallic strips or rods each bed may have its active surface formed by crossed wires or a netting, the same being well known to. those skilled in this art.

The upper andlowerbeds43 44are hingedly connected together by the employment of an intermediate hinge-rod 52 and a series of hinge-loops 53 54. The loops 53 are fastened securely to the lower bar 48 of the upper bed 44, while the other loops, 54, are secured to the upper cross-bar 46 of the lower bed 43, and these loops of the respective beds are fitted loosely on the hinge-rod 52 in a way to pivotally connect the two beds to a single hinge-rod at the adjacent or meeting ends of said beds. The hinged connection between the beds permits them to fold upwardly with the fender when the latter is raised on the pivot afforded by the rod 9. The upper bed 44 is suspended loosely and adjustably from the levers 40 by means of the links 55, the same being pivoted to the upper ends of the levers 40 above the attachment of the chains 41 thereto, while the lower ends of said links 55 are connected loosely to the upper looped edge of the bed 44. (See Figs. 1 and 4.)

I have provided an automatic trip mechanism arranged to positively release the pawl 35 from engagement with the rackbar 33 when the fender strikes a person or other obstruction in the path of the car. One part of the trip device consists of a bar 56, which is preferably made in two sections, as shown by Fig. 2, and to the sections of this bar are secured the metallic flexible strips 57, two of said flexible stlips being attached to each member of the trip-bar 56. This trip-bar is arranged in a horizontal position in advance of the bufier 21 of the fender, and the flexible strips 56 extend rearwardly from the bar over the member 15 of the fender, the rear ends of said strips 56 being preferably curved in an upwarddirection, as shown by Fig. 1. The

members 56 are attached to a hinge-rod 58, arranged in a horizontal position across the upper side of the fender, and this rod is provided with arms 59, the latter extending rearwardly over the member 14 of the fender and pivoted at their rear ends to the lower portions of short vertical levers 60. Two of these levers are provided for the attachment of the rods 59 thereto, and these lovers are mounted loosely on the hinge-rod 9, so as to rock or turn thereon, as shown by Fig. 5. The levers extend upwardly above the hinge-rod 9 and are provided in their upper ends with slots having teeth or serrations, thereby forming jaws 61.

With the levers forming the foldable connection with the trip-bar 56 through the rods 59 57 are associated the rods 62, each of which is provided at its' front end with a finger 62, that is fitted adj ustably in the slotted and serrated jaw of one lever. The rear ends of the rods 62 are connected pivotally with the depending arms 63 on a horizontalrock-shaft 64, journaled in suitable bearings on the under side of the platform A and in advance of the rock-shaft 29, and this rock-shaft 64 is provided with an upstanding arm 65, to which is pivoted one end of a link 66, the latter extending forwardly from the shaft 64 and connected to the lower arm of a bell-crank lever 67. Said lever is fulcrumed on the under side of the platform A and connected by a link 68 to the heel of the pawl 35.

In the service of the fender the trip-bar 56 is adapted to strike a person or other obstruction on the track, and the resistance afiorded by the obstruction forces the rods 57 and 59 rearwardly, so as to turn the levers 60 on the axes afiorded by the pivotal rod 9, thus throwing the upper ends of the lovers 60 in a forward direction and pulling on the rods 62 to move the arms 63 in a forward direction, thereby turning the shaft 64 and moving the arm 65 in a rearward direction, which movement of the arm turns the bell-crank lever 67 and withdraws the pawl 35 from engagement with the rack-bar. This bar is released from its locking engagement with the pawl, and the weight of the fender causes it to drop or lower itself by gravity, said fender turning on the axis 9. It will be understood that the springs 27 move with the suspension-rod 26,

andthe rack-bar 33, being released by the,

movement of the shaft 64, through the medium of the rods 62, allows the shaft 29 to turn and move outward with the lever 25. The trip-bar 56 is foldable with respect to the fender on the axis afforded by the pivot-rod 58, and said bar,with its rods 57, may be folded upwardly against the bed 44 if snow'orother obstructions on the track interfere with the free operation of the trip devices. I have provided means, however, forautomatically withdrawing the pawl 35 from engagement with the rack-bar 33 when a weight is imposed on the fender, thereby dropping the latter automatically to its inclined position.

The arm 63 of the rock-shaft 64 is provided withan eye or guide 69, through which loosely passes the rear end of a supplemental triprod 70. This trip-rod is provided at its rear portion with a collar 71, which is clamped firmly and adjustably thereto, and the front levers is communicated by the chains 41 to the levers 25, and the rods 26 are thereby strained to increase the tension of the springs 27, and at the same time the levers 25 pull on the rod or rods 70, so as to bring the collars 71 into engagement wit-h the eyes or guides 69 in a way to turn the arm or arms 63 in a forward direction. This operation turns the arm 65 and the bell-crank lever 67 in a manner to withdraw the pawl 35 from engagement with the bar 33, and the pull exerted by the levers 25 on the springs 27, in conjunction with the load imposed on the fender, serves to positively turn the rock-shaft 29 in a direction to pull downwardly on the rack-bar 33 through the medium of the bellcrank lever 32 and the rod 31.

I have also provided means controllable by the swaying movement of the car-body to counteract the effect of such movement on the fender, said means permitting the fender to be carried in a position close to the rails of a track and without coming in engagement therewith.

72 designates levers which are fulcrumed on plates 73, secured to the sills of the platform, said levers being provided with slots 74, in each of which is slidably fitted a pin 75, which is supported in the free end of an upright arm 76, secured on a part of the cartruck B. The lower end of each lever 72 is pivoted to a rod' 77, which extends forwardly and is pivoted to a short lever 78, the latter being fulorumed on the hanger 13 and having pivotal connection with the hanger-brace 12. This hanger-brace carries a depending arm 79, provided with a guide 80, through which slidably passes a rack-bar 81, having a pivotal connection with the rear member 14 of the fender. The arm 79 supports a pawl 82, adapted to normally engage with the teeth of the rack-bar 81, and this pawl is adapted to be lifted by a motorman or attendant from engagement with the rack-bar by means of the handle 83. When the platform of the car-body dipsin a downward direction, the lever 72 moves therewith until it is arrested by the pin 75 on the arm 76 of the truck, and this movement of the lever is comv rod 9 and the hanger-arm 7, thus raising the free end of the fender somewhat on the downward dip of the car-body; but when the carbody rises the train of operative connections heretofore described operate to lower the fender, and thus keep the latter normally at a predetermined position above the rails of the track. When the fender is lowered by the action of the trip devices or by the imposition of a weight thereon, the rack-bar 81 moves therewith and slides through the depending arm 79, and the pawl 82 engages with this rack-bar, so as to hold it and the fender in their adjusted positions. The pawl should be lifted from engagement with the rack-bar when the fender is reset, and this is accomplished by the motorman raising the handle 83.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivoted fender, and a locking device, of a pair of rocking arms both connected with said locking device, a rod connecting the fender with one of said arms, a lever controllable by thefender, and a spring-rod connected with said lever and the other rocking arm.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivoted fender, and a locking device therefor, of a rocking arm connected with said locking device, a lever controllable by the fender, and a spring-rod connecting the rocking arm and the fender.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivotally-supported fender, and a locking device therefor, of a series of connected levers having operative connection with said fender at one side of its pivotalsupport, and also having connection with the locking device, and means for automatically releasing the locking device by an obstruction in the path of the fender.

4:. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivotally-supported fender, and alocking mechanism therefor, of levers having connection with said fender at one side of its point of suspension, a rockshaft connected with the locking mechanism, and a suspension-spring disposed between said levers and the rock-shaft.

. 5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivotally-supported fender, and alocking mechanism therefor, of levers pivoted directly to a part of said fender, other levers connected with the first-named levers, a train of connections between the last-named levers and the locking mechanism, and trip devices controllable by said fender to release the locking mechanism.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivotally-supported feuder, and a locking mechanism therefor, of a lever operatively connected with said fender, a train of connections between said lever and one element of the locking mechanism, and

a trip device connected with another element of the locking mechanism and with said lever.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivotally-supported fender, and a locking mechanism therefor, of a lever connected with said fender, a rock-shaft having a train of connections with one member of the locking mechanism, a yieldable connection between said rock-shaft and said lever, another rock-shaft connected with another member of the'locking mechanism, and means connecting the last-mentioned rockshaft with said lever.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivotally-supported fender, and a locking mechanism therefor, of a lever connected with said fender, two rock- -shafts connected individually with different members of the locking mechanism, a spring connection between one rock-shaft and said lever, an arm on the other rock-shaft provided with a guide, and a'rod slidably fitted in the guide and connected with the lever and provided with a stop arranged to turn the arm and the rock-shaft to release the locking mechanism.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivoted fender, and a locking mechanism therefor, of a rocking arm connected with said locking mechanism, a trip-bar slidable relatively to the fender, a trip-lever hung on an axis of vibration coincident with the pivotal point of the fender and connected to the trip-bar, and means connecting said trip-lever with the rocking arm.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with a foldable fender, and a locking mechanism therefor, of a trip-bar slidable over the fender and foldable relatively thereto, and means actuated by said trip-bar to release the locking mechanism.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivoted fender, means for suspending and locking the same, upright levers movable on the axis of the fender, devices connecting said levers with one part of the locking mechanism, and a trip-bar having pivotal and foldable connection with said levers and slidable relatively to the fender.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivoted fender, and means for suspending and locking the same,

of upright levers movable on the axis of the fender and provided with forwardly-extending rods, a trip-bar having rods pivoted to the rods of the levers, and means connecting said levers with an element of the fenderlocking mechanism.

13. The combination with a pivoted fender, of a car-body hanger, a lever fulcrumed to said hanger and having a thrust connection with said fender, another lever adapted to be carried by a car-body, a link connecting the two levers, and a relatively fixed resistance slidably engaging the last-mentioned lever and adapted to limit the downward travel thereof.

14:. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pivoted fender, of means for counteracting the swaying movement of a car-body, comprising a lever adapted for connection with a car-body, means aifording a fixed point of resistance to the movement of said lever, and a train of connections between said lever and the fender to move the latter in an opposite direction to the movement of the car-body.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pivotally-supported hanger, a fender mounted therein, a car-actuated lever having means for attachment to a carbody, a truck-supported arm affording a resistance to the movement of said lever, and an intermediate lever connected with said hanger and said car-actuated lever.

16. Ina device of the class described, the

20 combination with apivoted fender, of means downward movement thereof, said means consisting of a slidable toothed bar pivoted to the fender, a hanger through which said bar is slidable, and a pawl provided with a handle and pivoted to the hanger for engagement with said toothed bar.

17. In a device of the class described, the combination with a fender-frame, of suspension devices connected therewith, and beds attached to the fender-frame and the suspension devices respectively and joined to one another at their adjacent ends by an intermediate hinge-rod.

, In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM THOMAS WATSON.

\Vitnesses:

BENJ. A. HUNTER, W. BoWNAss. 

